Two weeks later found Natalie sitting in her hospital with a stack of paperwork to fill out. She sighed again as she changed all the information listed on the sheet in front of her. While Sig thought he was doing her a favor, all he really did was give her a severe case of carpal tunnel. She was finally being released, given strict instructions to limit activity and being made to swear never to go on a crab boat again. Nicole had been playing house with Andy Hillstrand in her home in Seattle and she was anxious to go home to assess the damage. Sig had his cast removed and was scheduled for a follow up appointment and physical therapy in Seattle. Norman had arrived a day after Nicole and dropped off Natalie's bag from the boat. She stared longingly at the clothes she'd picked out to go home in. Mike noticed her look and moved towards them.
"Do you want to get dressed?" he asked, motioning to the clothes.
"Yes, but I need to get this stuff all sorted" said Natalie, with a sigh.
"It's too bad you can't just write them a check" said Mike.
"Wait, I can do that" said Natalie. "Well, I can if they take cards."
She pushed the nurses call button and asked to speak with someone from the billing department. An hour later a very nervous man appeared in her room with an itemized bill. Natalie looked it over carefully, then passed the man her Amex Black Card. He looked down at the card in shock and then slowly walked out of the room. Twenty minutes later he returned with a slip for her to sign and her receipt.
"Thank you" said Natalie.
The man just nodded before backing slowly out of the room.
"A black card" said Mike. "I'm impressed."
"Yes, well it has a lot of nice perks" said Natalie.
"What is it made of" said Mike, trying to bend the card.
"Titanium" said Natalie. "My personal concierge from the company once told me it was good for cutting up coke. Why he thought I'd need to know that fact, is beyond me."
Mike raised his eyebrows and carefully placed the card back into Natalie's wallet.
Nicole hung up the phone and began searching the house for Andy. She'd just gotten word from Natalie that she was on her way home and she had some cleaning and restocking to do. She found Andy sitting in the den, playing xbox with Scotty.
"Natty's on her way home" said Nicole.
Andy and Scotty shared a look and quickly shut off the game. The Hillstrands had been enjoying the perks of Natalie's home and Nicole's hospitality since she'd called Andy in Anchorage. The house while not destroyed was certainly messier than it had been when they arrived and most of Natalie's collection of wine and spirits had been consumed. Nicole sat at the kitchen table with a pen and paper trying desperately to remember what they'd eaten and drank since they arrived.
"What's up Nic?" asked Andy, looking at her fretful expression.
"I need to replace all the stuff we've used and set this place to rights" she said in a huff.
Andy walked over and looked at her list. It was blank, with nothing more written than the word List at the top. There were doodles all over the margins, but no actual list.
"How long have you been working on this?" asked Andy.
"Um, a while" said Nicole sadly.
"Right, well we can call someone to come clean the house and we'll just replace the stuff we drank with what we can, ok" said Andy, running a hand over Nicole's back. "We'll do our best."
"Natalie would do it perfectly" said Nicole, glumly. "She always does. She'd remember every single detail of every single drink and replace it so no one would ever know. But I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning."
"That's easy" said Andy. "Nothing."
Nicole smiled and then looked back at the list. She was about to start crying when the door opened.
Samantha, Edgar and Erik walked into the foyer of Natalie's palatial house. They'd just gotten word that Sig and Natalie were scheduled for release and Samantha wanted to make sure her home was in perfect shape before she arrived. Edgar carried in a huge cooler full of freezer meals, while Erik held a small stack of pictures he'd drawn. Samantha carried Diana's carseat and rolled a small cart of cleaning supplies with the other.
"What are you doing here?" asked Nicole.
"I'm here to get Natalie's house back in order" said Samantha. "Unless you planned to do it?"
"Thank god you're here" said Nicole, relief flooding her voice.
"Let's get started" said Samantha, brandishing a rather long list.
"Tell me what needs to be done" said Andy, glancing over Samantha's list.
Samantha doled out the tasks, even giving one to Nicole.
"But I don't know how to empty a dishwasher" she whined.
"I know you went to school" said Samantha. "Natalie says that you are smart, so figure it out."
"She said I'm smart?" said Nicole, her voice soft.
Samantha nodded and then pointed to the dishwasher. Nicole gave a sharp nod and began her task. By the end of the day the house was clean and the laundry finished.
"So, Antha" began Nicole. "We've been drinking some of Natty's delicious wine and stuff. I need to replace what we've had but I don't know what they were."
"Just pick your favorites" said Samantha with a wave of her hand. "She says you have great taste."
"Well I certainly know how to pick the best" said Nicole proudly.
Andy volunteered to take Nicole shopping and they disappeared out the door.
"So, did Natalie tell you how to get her to help or did you figure that out all by yourself?" asked Edgar from behind Samantha.
"I don't know what you're talking about" said Samantha with a sly smile.
"Of course you don't" said Edgar, sweeping his wife into his arms. "You don't have a devious bone in your body."
"But you do" said Samantha, sliding her hands down his chest.
"The kids are asleep" said Edgar.
"We can't leave them here" said Samantha.
"Antha, there are like ten bedrooms in this place" said Edgar. "I'm sure she won't mind. And if she does we'll tell her it was Nicole."
"Race you" said Samantha, running up the stairs, with Edgar hot on her heels.
Mike Fourtner guided Natalie up to her front door. Sig walked behind him, telling him to be careful. Mike rolled his eyes for what seemed like the tenth time since they'd exited the car. Sig was telling him to watch out for the trees, which were easily five feet away and planted in the yard.
"Well it's still standing" said Natalie. "At least that's something."
"Wait" said Sig, halting the pair's progress. "I need to carry her over the threshold."
"What?" said Mike. "You aren't even married."
"No, it's what should be done" said Sig, his voice insistent.
"You can barely make it through the door under your own power and you want to carry her?" said Mike.
"Well, just help me" said Sig.
Mike sighed, realizing that the only way he was going to get Natalie into the house was to agree with this ridiculous request. He scooped Natalie into his arms, then Sig placed his arms under Mike's. Both men carefully maneuvered Natalie through the door, before Sig stepped away and Mike set her gently on the marble.
"Well that was exciting" said Natalie. "I wonder if that passes for a marriage in polygamous circles."
"If so, I'm one lucky dude" said Mike.
"Don't even think about it" said Sig, warningly.
"Ok Natalie, where do you want to go first" said Mike.
"My room" said Natalie. "I want to take a bath."
"Which way?" asked Mike.
"Up the stairs" said Natalie, with a bit of a frown.
Mike noticed her hesitation and scooped her back up and headed to the stairs. Sig watched their progress, wishing he was able to carry her up. Instead of following he trudged towards the living room.
Inside her room, Mike set her gently onto her bed. Natalie looked around and realized with a sigh that Nicole had kept her promise to stay out of her room. The room was just as she left it.
"Ok, Natalie" said Mike. "I'm going to start the bath, then I'll help you in and leave you alone. Call me when you're done. I'll be right here sitting on the bed."
"Are you sure this isn't weird for you?" asked Natalie.
"No" said Mike sternly. "I promised those nurses that I would watch you like a hawk. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize my care in the future, if I end up there."
"In that case your plan sounds fine" said Natalie.
Mike moved into her bathroom and started the water. Natalie could hear the tub filling and told Mike to add one of the packets on the side of the tub. Once the tub was filled he returned and helped her strip out of her clothes. Then she was carried into the bathroom and set gently in the tub.
"Please don't tell Sig that I saw you naked" said Mike.
"Your secret is safe with me" said Natalie.
"Ok, well if you are all set" said Mike.
"Stay here and talk to me" said Natalie.
"Um, I'd rather not to" said Mike.
"Oh, sure" said Natalie, her voice faltering. "I'm sure you're annoyed with me already."
"No, I swear it's not that" said Mike. "But Sig really likes you and I don't want him to think that I'm in anyway threatening that situation."
"Ahh" said Natalie. "Well I'm sorry you feel that way. I really like talking to you."
"Yeah, you're cool to talk to too" said Mike.
Natalie smiled sadly and sunk a little deeper into the water. Mike reached out to make sure she was ok.
"What?" asked Natalie.
"Nothing" said Mike. "I was scared you were going to slip under the water."
"I'm fine" said Natalie. "I promise."
"I'll just stay here" said Mike. "Just in case."
"In that case, you can talk to me" said Natalie, picking up a soft cloth and starting to wash her body.
Mike did his best to keep his eyes trained on Natalie's. Her body moved up and out of the water so many times that he considered just staring at the ceiling.
"Mike" said Natalie, calling Mike. "Can you please wash my hair?"
"Um" said Mike.
"I'd ask Sig to do it but he's not here" said Natalie, simply. "Just wash it and then I can get out of the bathtub and we can resume life as we know it."
"Fine" said Mike. "But I'm going to do it with my eyes closed."
"That's fine" said Natalie. "I just want the blood and crust out of my hair before I lay down."
Mike moved behind her and picked up the soap. Squirting a fair amount into his hand he began to lather. Natalie passed him the tub sprayer and he easily rinsed the soap out of her hair.
"Please do it again" said Natalie.
"It's plenty clean" said Mike.
"Please, do it again" said Natalie.
Mike sighed and then rewashed her hair. He was scrubbing for another twenty minutes before Natalie finally deemed her hair clean. Natalie pulled the plug in the tub and Mike moved towards the door.
"You have to help me out" said Natalie.
Mike sighed, grabbed a towel and then hoisted Natalie out of the tub, while simultaneously wrapping a towel around her.
"Thanks" said Natalie. "That was seriously exhausting."
Mike moved her to the bed and tucked her in, he didn't bother to dress her. Before Natalie could succumbed to sleep she asked Mike to send up Norman.
Sig stewed downstairs at Natalie's house. He couldn't make the trip up the stairs with his tender leg, but everyone else was able to visit her up in her room. Norman had just been called by Mike Fourtner and Sig was fuming.
"What did she want with Norm?" asked Sig.
"She didn't say" said Mike.
"She just said, what?" asked Sig. "Specifically?"
"She asked me to send up Norman" said Mike. "That's it, she didn't say why."
"Fine" said Sig. "Don't tell me."
"Sig" began Mike.
He stopped, realizing that Sig wasn't in the mood to actually here anything. Mike moved into the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee, effectively ending his discussion with Sig.
Upstairs in Natalie's room Norman sat on the corner of Natalie's bed. He was slowly unpacking Natalie's bag from Opies. She was casually telling him where he could put the contents, while trying to find the words to ask him a very serious question.
"Ok, Bug" said Norman. "Just spit it out."
"I have a job for you" said Natalie.
"A what?" said Norman.
"I need you to do some digging" said Natalie.
"In your yard?" asked Norman.
"No" said Natalie. "I want you to get Bishop's autopsy report."
"Are you crazy" said Norman.
"No" said Natalie. "I need to find out if she was telling the truth about being pregnant."
"She's dead" said Norman, simply. "There is nothing to worry about."
"I want to know" said Natalie. "Not for me but for Nicole."
Norman stared at her blankly.
"If she knew that she killed a baby, she would be heartbroken" said Natalie.
"Really?" said Norman.
"Yes" snapped Natalie. "She's not a monster. She is worried and wants to know."
"Ok" said Norman. "How do you want me to find out this info?"
"We need to request the information from the coroner's department" said Natalie.
For a moment Norman was going to ask her more questions, but the color dropped from Natalie's face and she closed her eyes.
"I'll handle it" said Norman. "Don't worry."
"Thanks" said Natalie, her eyes closing slowly.
Norman dropped a kiss onto her forehead while tucking her in. Slipping out of the room he gently closed the door and began forming a plan on what to do. He decided he'd have to get reinforcements and fished his phone out of his pocket.
Antha and Norman stood in his kitchen staring at the phone on the counter. Norman had enlisted her help to find out the information Natalie wanted. Antha had suggested they call to get a copy of the autopsy report. Norman had readily agreed and now the two were deciding who was going to call.
"Just call" said Antha. "Pretend you're a lawyer."
"Why don't you do it" said Norman, pushing the phone away.
"No one will recognize your voice" said Antha, pushing the phone back.
"I don't want to" said Norman.
"Seriously?" said Antha in disgust.
"Come on" said Norman.
"It's for Natalie" said Antha.
"Fine" said Norman, picking up the phone and dialing. "But you owe me."
"Put it on speaker" said Antha, ignoring his statement.
"Hello, Unalaska police department" said a voice.
"Yes, I need an autopsy report for a Miss Lindsay Bishop" said Norman, doing his best to sound official.
"Um, let me find it" said the voice. "Hold please."
"Well that was easy" said Norman.
"Wait until she comes back, before you start celebrating" said Antha.
"Sir" said the voice. "What number would you like me to fax it to?"
Norman and Antha shared a confused look before she shrugged.
"Can you please just mail me a copy" said Norman. "I'll need the actual document."
"Of course" said the voice. "Please give me the name and address."
Norman rattled off the information, using Samantha's maiden name as his last name. A moment later he hung up the phone and took a huge breath.
"I need a drink" said Samantha, with a sigh.
"I'll get us one" said Norman.
He pulled out a bottle of scotch and a couple of glasses. Pouring two healthy shots into each glass they clinked glasses and he tossed back his drink.
"How long do you think it will take to get here?" asked Samantha.
"I don't know" said Norman. "But all we can do is wait."
Samantha nodded and took another sip of her drink. She hoped the autopsy would give Natalie some closure on the whole terrible ordeal.